Tiger Woods did not navigate the unprecedented fame of his early career entirely on his own. As his rise in the late 1990s reshaped professional golf, the pressure and public fascination surrounding him reached levels the sport had never experienced.
While Woods was known for his intense focus and ability to block out distractions on the course, he has acknowledged that adjusting to global superstardom required perspective from others who had already lived through something similar.
In a conversation with Jordan Spieth featured in the “Tiger Woods: 30 Years of Influence” video series, Woods revealed that only two athletes truly understood what he was going through at the height of “Tiger-Mania”: Michael Jordan and Derek Jeter.
“Yeah, the only two people that really understood kind of what I was going through was obviously MJ [Michael Jordan],” he said.
“What he experienced with the Chicago Bulls all those years and just the mania but with the Bulls and then winning all those championships and just the mobs of people.
“The other one who was about my age that made his major league debut in 96 was Jeets [Derek Jeter].”
The meteoric rise and pressure on Tiger Woods
The series commemorates the 30th anniversary of the TGR Foundation, which Woods founded in 1996. In its opening episode, Spieth asked how the 15-time major champion handled the sudden loss of privacy and relentless attention that followed his historic breakthrough.
Woods turned professional in August 1996 aged 20, signing endorsement deals reportedly worth $60 million before hitting a single professional tee shot.
His transformation from prodigy to global icon accelerated dramatically after his 12-stroke victory at the 1997 Masters. At 21, he became the youngest winner in tournament history and the first Black champion, drawing roughly 44 million television viewers.
As the crowds grew and media scrutiny intensified, Woods leaned on Jordan and Jeter, both of whom were experiencing their own versions of fame-fueled chaos.
“And so Jeets and I and MJ we would meet up and where the Bulls are playing in New York and I would come in, and we’d go to a New York Yankees game,” he added.
“Or we’d go to the Bulls game or whatever it and we’d all hang out and kind of chit-chat. I was picking their brains.”
How Jordan and Jeter shot to fame
Jordan was at the center of a global phenomenon as the Bulls dominated the NBA, winning six championships across two three-peats and posting a record-setting 72-10 season in 1995-96.
His fame extended far beyond basketball into commercial deals and fashion. At the same time, Jeter emerged as the face of the New York Yankees.
Taking over as Opening Day shortstop in 1996 at age 22, Jeter won the American League Rookie of the Year unanimously and helped deliver the franchise’s first World Series title in 18 years.
“I was like, what is going on here? You’re in Chicago doing your thing, MJ, and it’s crazy. It’s crazy around the league,” Woods added.
“Jeets, you’re in the biggest media market in the world. How are you handling this? You’re a little bit older than I am, but still, this is all new to you. How are you dealing with it?”
The bond formed during those years has endured. Jordan has repeatedly spoken about Woods‘ impact, crediting him with expanding golf’s appeal.
The trio had a mutual acceptance that their lives couldn’t be changed beyond a certain point, and through the high and low moments, they supported each other to ensure those dips were nothing more than that.
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